The Reagan Administration’s Historic Tax Credit program, which helps fund historic renovation projects, is in jeopardy of being scrapped in the new tax plan unveiled in the House last week. According to Architectural Digest, the conservative idol's program has preserved more than 40,000 total structures and corralled $117 billion in private investment for such redevelopment work since the program began in 1983.

The program incentivizes the reuse of historic structures with a 20 percent income tax credit that is paid out only once a project is finished. A 2015 economic impact report, carried out by the National Park Service and Rutgers University, found that the tax credit generated $1.20 in construction activity and tax revenue for every dollar of credit issued and generated an estimated 86,000 jobs that year.

The reform is being criticized by developers, preservationists, and politicians such as Arkansas Representative Vivian Flowers and New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who fear that doing away with the tax credit will lead to both the razing and decaying of many significant historic buildings.

Ending the popular and valuable incentive that has bipartisan support and is widely acknowledged as one of most effective tax incentives the government has created would be a devastating blow. You can help by calling your senator and representative in the House urging them to support retention of the Federal Historic Tax Credit. You can also visit here to send a letter to both.